2007 Records:Seattle: 7-4 (First in the NFC West)
Philadelphia: 5-6 (Tied for last in the NFC East)
Last Week:
Seattle: barely won against the lowly Rams
Philly: couldn't pull off the impossible in New England.
The last time the Seahawks strolled in to Philadelphia to play the Eagles, the Monday night game turned out to be one of the ugliest in recent memory. It was week 13 of the 2005 season and Birds fans were excited for the game because Reggie White would be honored at half time. After the ceremony for number 92, many Philly faithful chose to head home to beat traffic -- or drink their sorrows away -- and few were on hand to see the final scoreboard show a complete and utter [butt] whooping, 42-0.
Hopefully for Philadelphia, things won't go quite the same today.The major story line this week has been who will start at QB for the Eagles. Last we checked (4:45 am Sunday morning), Donovan McNabb was still listed as doubtful. All signs are pointing towards A.J. Feeley getting his second straight start. I believe this is a good thing for the Eagles. A.J. Feeley showed he can add a spark to this offense and is very capable of making the quick decisions that are so important in the West Coast Offense. Seattle's defense has also shown a keen ability to beat up on opposing QBs, so a healthy A.J. Feeley may have a better shot than a gimpy Donovan McNabb.
As far as the Seattle offense goes, they'll be getting former MVP Shaun Alexander back in the line up. For those who don't follow the Seahawks too closely, you'd think this would be a boon for the 'Hawks running attack, but that's not exactly the case. Maurice Morris averages 4.2 yards per carry; Alexander averages 3.3.
Seattle's air attack will be without D.J. Hackett who is out with an ankle injury. Look for former Penn State standout Bobby Engram to step up in his absence. The Eagles will likely be without safety Quintin Mikell so look for J.R. Reed to get the start. Reed performed better than expected last week against the Patriots and impressed many with some bone shaking hits.
This game has fairly significant playoff implications in the NFC. Despite having a losing record, the Eagles still have a shot at a wild card birth if they were to end the day with a win. Seattle on the other hand has a two game advantage over Arizona for the lead in the West and could strengthen that position by beating the Birds in Philly.
Random Notes: The forecast in Philadelphia is calling for every weatherman's favorite, the Wintry Mix! It will likely be a mix of snow and icy rain, perfect to make a nice December day miserable for 70,000 fans. As mentioned yesterday, this game will be the first played on recently installed brand new grass. Keep an eye on the turf to see how it handles it's first go.
